OKPOLICY.ORG
Last week Oklahoma House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, released the list of approved interim studies for this year’s interim session. With Oklahoma ranking 46th overall for child well-being in the 2025 Annie E. Casey KIDS COUNT Databook, this could be an exciting interim for those interested in providing services to Oklahoma’s children.
Interim Study 25-003, requested by Representative Nick Archer, R-Elk City, will examine the adequacy and fiscal structure of Oklahoma’s foster care reimbursement system. Rep. Archer’s House Bill 2030, intended to raise payments for foster parents, passed the House and the Senate Appropriations subcommittee last session with strong support but did not get a Senate floor hearing due to its projected cost. The interim study will determine the true cost of quality foster care and assess whether a tiered or targeted reimbursement model would better support foster families, reduce placement disruptions, and address high-need children more effectively.
Interim Study 25-022, requested by Rep. Ellen Pogemiller, D-Oklahoma City, will explore the issue of chronic absenteeism in Oklahoma’s public schools. The study will focus on identifying the root causes of chronic absenteeism, including student mobility, eviction and other barriers faced by students and families. It will also highlight effective strategies and community-based efforts currently underway in Oklahoma to support students and improve attendance.
Interim Study 25-035 by Rep. Emily Gise, R-Oklahoma City, and Rep. Daniel Pae, R-Lawton, will review the Office of Juvenile Affairs’ (OJA) State Plan for detention center services contracted by OJA with counties and private operators. The review will include funding needs of the facilities, contracted bed utilization review, short-term and long-term needs of the State for bed allocation, and operational obstacles and cost drivers for facility operators. The study will look at what OJA is required to do by Oklahoma Statutes Title 10A and the processes developed to try to execute their legal obligation.
Interim Study 25-053 by Rep. Pae will address youth homelessness in Oklahoma by evaluating current outreach efforts, identifying underserved regions, and developing actionable strategies. As a participant in the National Conference of State Legislatures’ (NCSL) Youth Homelessness Fellowship, Pae will call on NCSL for resources for the study.
Interim Study 25-055, by Reps. Annie Menz, D-Norman, John Waldron, D-Tulsa, and Pogemiller, will focus on childhood poverty issues. The study will look at the causal factors and effects and discuss possible solutions.
Interim Study 25-063, by Rep. Trish Ranson, D-Stillwater, will study the possibility of establishing an Oklahoma Department of Early Childhood. Using recommendations from a Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency (LOFT) report, as well as model legislation from two neighboring states, the study will explore the possibilities of streamlining the delivery of early childhood service – including the areas of health, education, and care – with a focus on family-friendly outcomes.
Interim Study 25-083 by Rep. Toni Hasenbeck, R-Elgin, will study Oklahoma’s family and domestic court system, identifying gaps in Oklahoma Law and judicial processes. The study will look at child custody and support legal frameworks, including domestic violence protections and enforcement, court procedures and access to justice issues, judicial resource allocation and specialization, and interstate jurisdictional challenges.
Interim Study 25-109 by Reps. Danny Williams, R-Seminole; Gabe Woolley, R-Broken Arrow; Chris Banning, R-Bixby; Molly Jenkins, R-Coyle; Mike Lay, R-Jenks; and Stacy Jo Adams, R-Duncan, will study ways to improve foster home environments. The study will address barriers to foster care participation and consider incentives, training, and oversight reforms. Oklahoma has lower placement stability than similar states, so the study will identify ways to increase and prepare foster homes.
Interim Study 25-110 by Reps. Williams, Woolley, Jenkins, Adams, and Collin Duel, R-Guthrie, will study potential children’s court reform. The study will look for improvements to the Oklahoma family court system with an emphasis on child-centered outcomes. The study will examine disparities in Oklahoma’s family court system and explore the creation of a unified statewide family court model like California and Arizona that have adopted specialized family court divisions.
Interim Study 25-149 by Reps. Andy Fugate, D-Oklahoma City, Ronny Johns, R-Ada, Melissa Provenzano, D-Tulsa, and Senators Brenda Stanley, R-Midwest City, and Mark Mann, D-Oklahoma City, will attempt to find ways to reintegrate students into the classroom who were previously removed due to violence against someone in the school environment. The study will look for ways to provide an equitable and appropriate learning experience for students once they are no longer justice-involved, including possible alternative education and non-traditional education such as virtual schools.
Interim Study 25-151 by Reps. Fugate, Hasenbeck, and Aletia Timmons, D-Oklahoma City, will study how providing civil judgment expungement can help those who are trapped in abuse. Under certain circumstances, Oklahoma allows expungement to clear criminal records from public access. The state does not currently offer anything similar for civil judgments. Even after resolving the underlying debt, a civil judgment can continue to harm a person’s financial standing. The judgment on record presents a major barrier for someone who has had their credit destroyed by financial abuse and who is fleeing abuse.
With the efforts of these legislators to address children’s issues, perhaps it’s not beyond hope they will be able to raise the awareness of their colleagues and do what it takes to make Oklahoma a healthier and safer place for kids.
